Learning and Skills Council staff to strike over job cuts

Workers at the Learning and Skills Councils (LSC) across England have voted overwhelmingly for a one-day strike followed by selective action in a dispute over plans to cut jobs.

Almost 90% of staff voted for a one-day strike followed by selective strike action over plans to cut more than 1,100 posts.

The PCS union, which represents staff in the 47 councils across England, said the result proved that management was “massively out of touch” with the workforce.

The use of assessment centres to make people redundant has particularly angered staff, who have been forced to take IQ and psychometric tests to keep their jobs, the union claims.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary, said: “This overwhelming result illustrates how out of touch senior management are and the depth of anger they have provoked among staff by their scandalous approach to axing staff.

“It is unacceptable that staff are being treated like children in being forced to sit 11-plus style exams to keep their job. A date for the strike will be set in the future.